Chapter 110 - Dungeon of Eldertine Spires
Eldertine Spires.
This was one of the biggest mountain ranges in the south of the Valerian Federation. A place filled with high and pure mana density and countless different life forms that had yet to be registered in the database.
A place that was perfect for those who wished for entertainment and mystery. This place attracted countless people who had such tendencies.
But, of course, its rich and pure mana density also made this place famous enough for people who sought to improve themselves and get stronger. Hunters, Mercenaries, trainees inspired to become martial masters, mages who sought to join the mage tower...Countless people with such titles came as well.
Also, with the high and pure mana compressed on the mountains, there were also natural treasures formed in this place.
Therefore, this place was also frequently explored by treasure hunters who wished to change and improve their lives by the encounter of luck.
Of course, the nature of the world had already changed from the day of Nexus Convergence when the mana came to the world. So, those natural treasures had countless different forms.
Some of them were in the form of evolved herbs, some of them were in the form of Alchemical materials, and some of them were mana-compressed ores for blacksmithing.
Among these were a special type of occupation known as Rune Searchers.
A Rune Searcher was someone who traveled to places with special mana density to find runes.
What are the runes, one might ask.
Runes are special types of mana products that can be assimilated directly within the body or soul to give the receiver special effects.
It can be in the form of strengthening skills, it can be in the form of strengthening body imprints, it can be in the form of increasing one's visible stats, it can be in the form of increasing one's innate abilities, it can be in the form of strengthening traits, or it can be on the form of increasing one's hidden stats.
Runes were such special natural products that were rare enough to be sold by the mark of at least one million Valer.
Therefore, it was easy to say that finding even one rune would turn a normal person's life upside down and would make them live without needing to work until they died.
This was the sole reason why there were people who devoted their lives to finding such an amazing thing.
Nathan Lake was also one of those who wished to become rich by just finding a one rune.
His special trait enabled him to see the special mana properties of things around him. Even though his trait wasn't that strong and high ranked, it was something that came in handy in his job.
He traversed the rugged terrain of the Eldertine Spires, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any unusual mana disturbances that could signal the presence of runes.
The air was thick with the scent of adventure and the promise of potential wealth.
However, suddenly, amidst the trees, he noticed a figure in the distance, a young man with a hood obscuring most of his face. The cut of his clothes, the quality of his boots, and his overall demeanor suggested he was a fellow Rune Searcher.
After all, he knew the rune searchers often climbed mountains and places filled with extraordinary mana, so they needed strong clothes for special situations.
'He must be a newbie.'
However, the young man's clothes looked new and unused; thus, Nathan immediately assumed he was a newbie.
'I guess I found a fine piece.'
He smiled inwardly. In this place filled with no surveillance whatsoever, people were never as innocent as they seemed.
Especially those who didn't have a stable income like Rune Searchers.
"Hey there!" Nathan called out as he approached. "Are you a Rune Searcher too? Out here looking for runes like me?"
The young man turned towards him, revealing a glimpse of a slightly handsome profile beneath the hood. He looked somewhat frail; his face looked pale with whiteness. He looked even younger than he thought.
However, glowing purple eyes felt like they were boring through his existence like they could see everything.
Feeling those eyes on himself, Nathan felt weird and slightly uncomfortable. However, he immediately shook his initial uncomfortable feeling.
'This might be because it has been a while.'
The hooded figure looked frail and young; it was the perfect target for Nathan's usual scare tactics. His hand discreetly moved towards the dagger at his side—a perfectly practiced gesture that didn't show what he was doing.
"Finding runes can be quite the lucrative venture," Nathan continued, feigning enthusiasm. "But you see, this place is not for the faint-hearted. Dangerous creatures and treacherous terrain await the uninitiated."
His words were meant to scare the person before him to make them uncomfortable and panicked. It was a practiced act he had done countless times before.
Yet, the young man remained stoic, his purple eyes seemingly piercing through Nathan's facade. It unsettled Nathan, making him second-guess his approach.
The unease grew, but the allure of asserting dominance pushed him forward. From his clothes and his equipment alone, he knew this guy had quite a good money on him.
Inching closer, Nathan prepared to execute his usual scheme, aiming to threaten and intimidate the newcomer. He would assert his supposed superiority and perhaps even convince the young man to leave the territory.
However, as his fingers brushed against the hilt of his dagger, doubt gnawed at him.
The trait that enabled him to see the special mana attributes of other things to a certain extent was activated, and now he could see the reason why.
'What the hell is this?'
The young man's aura felt strangely powerful, a far cry from what Nathan had anticipated. The color of black and the constantly changing color from white to green and red to blue showed that this guy was not normal at all.
His hand hesitated, uncertain of whether this newcomer was truly the easy prey he had presumed.
And at that second, suddenly, he felt like small tendrils of dark shadows moving at him.
'Hiiii!'
And the fear enveloped him.
"Look," Nathan stammered, struggling to maintain his confident façade, "if you're not cut out for this, it's better to turn back. The Eldertine Spires are unforgiving to those unprepared."
The young man didn't even move for a second, but Nathan had already started backing away cautiously.
He couldn't shake off the sense that this encounter was not what it seemed. The young man's gaze bore into him, making Nathan question the tables he had intended to turn. The darkness of his intentions clashed with the mysterious aura of the newcomer, creating an atmosphere charged with uncertainty.
The young man finally spoke, his voice calm and collected despite Nathan's obvious unease. "Have you noticed a tree in this area that gives off a different vibe than the others?"
The question struck Nathan with both surprise and trepidation. How could this young man be aware of the specific tree that he had sensed earlier? Panic surged within him as he realized that this person seemed to know about his unique ability, the trait that let him see the special types of mana.
"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Nathan stammered, attempting to mask his growing fear.
He didn't want to show that tree. He understood that it was a special place with his trait. Even though he didn't see any runes in there while searching, he knew there existed something different there, so he wanted to hide it as much as possible.
The young man's gaze remained fixed on Nathan, unwavering and intense. It felt like he could see through the facades and lies that Nathan tried to construct.
"Are you sure?"
It was a simple question the young man asked. His tone and eyes didn't contain any emotion, neither rage nor greed. It was as if he was looking at emptiness, and this scared him more and more.
Each passing moment filled Nathan with an increasing sense of dread, a belief that this young man was someone he should not have crossed.
No, this young man was someone he shouldn't have even come close by.
In a trembling voice, he finally let slip, "Alright, there's a tree not far from here that feels different, okay? It's not like the others—it's... unique. But I don't know why, I swear!"
The young man's gaze lingered on him for a few more moments, scrutinizing him as if assessing the depths of his fear and truthfulness. Then, he finally spoke, "Where is this tree?"
Nathan, his fear compelling him to be compliant, described in great detail, "It's to the southwest from here, near the edge of the cliff, past a small clearing. The trunk is thick and gnarled, and the roots form an intricate pattern on the ground, like veins pulsing with energy."
The young man nodded, absorbing the information. Nathan could feel his heart racing, anxiety clawing at him as he wondered about the intentions of this enigmatic figure.
"Thank you," the young man said simply, turning to leave. It was abrupt, leaving Nathan bewildered.
"Wait!" Nathan blurted out, his fear getting the better of him. "Who are you?"
The young man glanced back, his hood still partially shrouding his face. "Does it matter who I am?"
"Ahahaa…..Right…."
"Let me give you a piece of advice," the young man began, his voice steady and measured. "Avoid the northeast exit of the Eldertine Spires for the next three days."
"Northeast Exit? Why?"
"Blood will be spilled. It's in your best interest to not go anywhere near there."
Nathan felt a chill run down his spine at the gravity in the young man's words. He nodded vigorously, swallowing his fear. "Of course, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the advice."
SWOOSH!
Without another word, the young man disappeared into the shadows, leaving Nathan alone with his thoughts and the sounds of birds chirping.
'What a weird young man.'
The weird feeling in his heart disappeared the moment the young man left his presence, and he finally relaxed his breath.
'I guess I should avoid that place.'
And started walking toward his next destination.
Chapter 111 - Dungeon of Eldertine Spires (2)
"Nathan Lake….."
I mumbled to myself, standing before a shining tree.
"I guess I was lucky then."
He was an NPC in the game that appeared randomly in the Eldertine Spires. He was a Rune Searcher, but at the same time, he was someone with a slightly evil alignment. He would attack the player, and with that, we would beat him up. After all, as a student of the Arcadia Hunter Academy, even though Ethan was ranked last, he was stronger than most other people.
And Nathan's role was small.
It was simply show where the dungeon was located.
He would tell the player the location of this tree, which would take us to the dungeon.
And now, I was standing before the tree; I was once again reminded of the fact that the visuals in the game could never hold a candle to the real world.
The tree stood tall and proud, distinguished from the others in the forest by the way it shimmered, even in the dim light filtering through the canopy.
Its leaves were a brilliant shade of ethereal silver, catching the scant light and reflecting it like a thousand tiny stars. The trunk glowed with a soft, pulsating light that seemed to emanate from within, casting intricate patterns on the ground around it.
The roots of the tree spread out like a network of veins, pulsing with a gentle energy that seemed to breathe life into the very earth it touched. Each root was a mesmerizing display of an intricate pattern intertwined and connected in a mysterious way of engravement.
It was as if the roots held the history of the land, etched into the very fabric of the forest floor.
And indeed, that was the case.
The reason why this tree was different from others was because it had been absorbing a different type of mana -- the mana that was released from the dungeon underneath its roots.
And to enter this dungeon, one thing needs to be done.
Reaching before the pulsating part of the trunk, I grabbed my dagger.
'Stabbing the heart of the pulsating tree, huh?'
It was a weird symbolism, but things needed to be done to achieve results.
STAB
With a swing of my dagger, I simply stabbed the shining part. I didn't use mana since using that would make things slightly complicated.
FUSH!
And following that, a small smoke started spreading from the cut I had made. The surroundings started to get shrouded.
CRACK!
The intricate patterns etched by the roots on the ground began to shift and writhe, their pulsating energy responding to the disturbance in the tree.
The once steady rhythm of their movement turned chaotic, a whirlwind of patterns and lights dancing in a mesmerizing display.
CRACKLE!
The air felt charged, a bit like when a storm is about to hit. The smoke formed a twisting whirlpool of mist. It spread, covering the area in a mysterious fog.
The ground shook as if it was waking up. The patterns on the ground rearranged themselves, forming a hidden passage. The ground, which had seemed lifeless, suddenly seemed alive and moving.
A low rumbling sound filled the air as the passage slowly opened up, revealing a way down into darkness.
'I guess this is it.'
This was the entrance to the dungeon.
Looking at it like that, it indeed gave the surreal vibe enough to make the one watching the scene mesmerized.
'Though, the inside of the dungeon won't even resemble something this beautiful.'
Without thinking much, I simply entered the passage.
WROOM!
And got sucked by the gate.
******
THUD!
As I fell to the ground, the scene before me was something that completely contrasted with the scene before.
SHRIEK! SHRIEK! SHRIEK! SHRIEK!
Countless number of screams echoed all around the place.
Darkness surrounded the space without even an ounce of light.
An eerie fog was covering my vision, and I could see nothing around me.
There was no sun shining, but only the moon that was trying to illuminate the darkness but failing to do so, thanks to the fog.
No signs of life, no trees, no plants, no grass.
It was a complete place filled with only land to walk on, some rocks that made the surface not flat alone.
"SHRIEK!"
However, the screams were still there, coming from every direction.
And most importantly, a sense of smell covered the entire space.
'The smell of blood and rotten corpses.'
Of course, I hadn't seen a rotten corpse in my life, but it was easy to associate the smell since I knew the reason for it from the game.
"SHRIEEEEEK!"
CRACK!
'Just at time.'
With a scream coming from behind, the ground cracked, and something appeared from there.
A corpse with its whole body turned into a grotesque shape. The color grey covered the whole skin, and it was shedding like a mutt.
SWOOSH!
The monster rushed at me with its mouth wide open, a drenched smell coming from there.
"Ghouls."
I mumbled the name as I grabbed my gun. They were low-rank three monsters, with their speed and regenerative property having a higher part of their rank, so I didn't have much chance to directly confront the monster from the start.
BANG!
As I fired the gun, the bullet pierced through its head.
THUD!
The monster fell to the ground thanks to the bullet's momentum. However, I knew that wouldn't end like this.
I equipped my daggers with the bracelets.
DRIP!
A small liquid was dripping from the dagger.
SWOOSH!
Dashing forward, I first slashed the monster from its chest, and then, with the other one, I stabbed it from the small opening inside his navel.
Without much resistance, the dagger cut through the monster's body.
PUFF!
And following that, the monster slowly started disintegrating, slowly losing its material body.
The materials of the body turned to mud and mixed with the land, leaving me standing in this eerie space once again.
Looking at the yellow-colored liquid pouring from the tip of my daggers, I recalled the name.
'Holy Water.'
A simple name befitting its properties. It is called Holy water because it has the attributes of purification, and it is specifically good against cursed beings.
Like Ghouls - monsters which were born from the cursed corpses and essentially a type of undead.
When the term Undead is used, most of the time, people's minds would directly link them with Necromancers, but the undead can be born even without a necromancer.
The resentment filling the space and the unfulfilled dying wishes of a person can also produce undead or essentially cursed beings.
The important thing is a link from the dead soul to the material world. With that link, the soul won't be able to leave the place and will be trapped for a while.
This is how the game explained things, and Ghouls were more like lower-ranked ones.
'So essentially, I am saving you.'
As I looked at the small smoke rising from the place where the ghoul disintegrated, I thought.
'I guess this counts as good?'
What Holy Water does is pretty simple. It simply counters the Ghouls' regeneration, which is one of the things they are strong at. And by countering that regeneration, the Ghouls will become essentially nothing but a bunch of corpses mindlessly attacking.
That is the reason why I can't use my gun that much since it will take too much time to imbue my bullets with holy water, and it is not as efficient as well.
Thus, I need to use my daggers while confronting the ghouls, which I don't mind that much.
With that thought, I continued to walk.
As I ventured further into the darkness, the wretched screams grew louder, and the smell of decay became more suffocating.
The eerie atmosphere heightened my senses, and I knew more ghouls were lurking, waiting to pounce.
"SHRIEK!"
Another ghoul emerged from the shadows, its grotesque form charging toward me.
SWOOSH!
I deftly evaded its attack and swiftly countered, plunging my dagger into its putrid chest.
PUFF!
The ghoul disintegrated, reduced to a muddy substance by the holy water. But there was no time to pause; more ghouls were closing in.
'The number is around fifteen.'
It was quite a high number, but ghouls were essentially one of the monsters with the lowest intelligence. Rather than evolving in nature, they were beings created by resentment.
In my head, I immediately created a combat formula. The way I would move, it was kind of like a sketch of fight.
And, with practiced precision, I engaged them one by one. Some I shot with my gun, buying myself a momentary advantage. Even though I knew they would regenerate, the time I bought served well.
Others, I engaged in close combat, my daggers dancing in the darkness. To not spill the Holy Water from the daggers, I was using my mana to enhance the daggers and cover it.
BANG! BANG!
The gunshots echoed in the desolate space as I picked off the approaching ghouls. The holy water on my daggers ensured their final demise as I slashed and stabbed, each strike turning them into sludge.
The eerie land became a battlefield, and I was the lone warrior fighting against the cursed.
The moon above witnessed this clash of life and death, casting an occasional eerie glow on the surreal battlefield, also supplying my mana.
I felt as if the moon itself was watching me, and that feeling was something that drove me forward in a way.
"SHRIEK!"
Another ghoul lunged at me, teeth gnashing. I sidestepped and drove my dagger into its side.
"SWOOSH!"
The creature dissolved into mud, leaving a foul odor in the air.
SHRIEK! SCREEECH!
I pressed on through the desolate landscape, the unsettling symphony of screams pushing me forward. There were some sounds of birds screeching as well, as I felt a dark shadowy being was also watching me together with the moon.
'Certainly, this place touches one's nerves.'
No matter how strong-willed and minded you are, in a place that smelled like nothing but death, it was very hard to keep your sanity while walking without seeing anything. There was no path that you could follow, no path that you could determine to take.
You would need to mindlessly wander around until you would reach the reason for this space, which was something mentally taxing.
And to negate that fact, I was purposefully distracting myself.
TOK! TOK! TOK!
The ground crackled beneath my steps, the only sound that wasn't a scream. Even though it may serve as a call for monsters, it wasn't that important.
This place's test was not about the body's strength but rather about how strong one's mind was and how much you could resist this eerie feeling.
'Let's see how long you want to keep this test.'
I thought as I kept walking, mindlessly wandering around.
Chapter 112 - Dungeon of Eldertine Spires (3)
"Huff….."
THUD
As the last monster fell to the ground, I finally had the time to pick my breath up.
It had been nearly five hours of relentless fighting, and exhaustion was catching up with me. Even though this place was not a test of my body, I still had been fighting almost non-stop while also walking.
The ghoul-filled landscape seemed to stretch on endlessly, each step feeling heavier as the hours blurred together.
"Hisss..."
The small wounds around my body were also aching. They were the ones made by the ghouls.
GULP!
Grabbing another potion from my bracelet, I gulped it. Immediately, I felt my body getting lighter as well, and a faint sense of comfort filled me.
'It is no time to relax.'
The moon above had shifted its position, casting an even more eerie glow over the desolate battlefield.
The symphony of screeches and screams had dulled my senses, and I needed respite. My body was still aching from the unhealed wounds, my mind weary from the constant vigilance against the ghoulish onslaught.
TOK! TOK! TOK!
I continued to move while making noises beneath my tired steps, a constant reminder of the unforgiving environment and that I was the real and alive person here.
But then, something caught my eye—a faint flickering light in the distance, barely visible amidst the suffocating darkness.
It was for a brief second, but I still could see a small light inside the fog and darkness.
Eyes of Hourglass.
Activating my skill, I focused my vision on the fog, and there, I could see a small landscape that was different from the fog.
'A cave?'
It was as if a cave was inside a small mountain.
'I guess I finally reached here.'
Seeing that scene, I finally recalled the memories from the game. This would mark the end of the walk underneath the fog since I had already reached the boss monster's location.
With renewed body and senses, I trudged towards the distant flickering light, the cave entrance becoming more defined as I drew near.
SCREEECH!
The screams seemed to grow louder, a cacophony of tortured souls begging for my company. It was unsettling, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand.
'Why don't you be with us, my child?'
'Aren't you tired?'
'Please, I want a friend.'
'Son, Mother will give you a hug; come here.'
Suddenly, the moment I got closer to the cave, I started hearing whispers entering directly into my ears. It was as if I was surrounded by people from everywhere around.
And as I stepped into the mouth of the cave, the voices became more pronounced, echoing off the walls and reverberating in my mind. Each step deeper into the cave felt like a descent into madness.
'Join us...'
'Stay with us...'
'We can end your suffering...'
The darkness within seemed to writhe and twist as if alive with some sinister purpose. At this point, even the moon's light was not able to enter the cave, let alone illuminate it.
It was complete darkness surrounding me, though that darkness was something I was not uncomfortable with.
After all, even though I couldn't use my Shadow Abilities in this place effectively, I could still see well in the dark thanks to my trait.
The walls were damp and covered in a slick, slimy substance as if those ghouls I had killed were all gathered in this place.
'Don't fight it...'
'Embrace the darkness...'
'We're waiting for you...'
The whispers were incessant, an unending assault on my mind.
I could feel their cold, bony fingers attempting to claw their way into my thoughts, trying to make me one of them.
But I pushed back. Even though it was sweet, I had a purpose for being here.
"Tch…..Death is not something to be mocked like this."
I mumbled, looking directly into the darkness inside the cave.
CAW! CAW! CAW!
And as if to respond to my words, around me, I suddenly heard a bunch of caws coming from all around the place.
However, the distance didn't match.
Turning my eyes to the side, I could see the walls around me were now all gone, as if they hadn't even existed to begin with.
Now, I was inside a forest. A forest filled with trees. The moonlight reappeared again, illuminating the surroundings. The fog was nowhere to be seen, but instead, the branches were doing its job.
The black-colored trees had no leaves on them, as if their whole life force was sucked.
In this eerie forest, the air was heavy with the scent of decay.
The ground felt soft and uneven beneath my feet as if it was soaked with blood. The crimson eyes of the crows bore into me, their gaze unnerving and haunting.
There were countless of them perched on the skeletal branches, watching my every move.
'Join us…'
'Stay with us…'
'Embrace the end…'
The whispers continued, their voices intermingling with the caws of the crows. It felt like the forest itself was alive with malevolence, urging me to surrender to the abyss.
"…."
However, I simply moved forward without even a word. After all, they didn't even need a word from me.
Those were the voices of the death.
With each step, the forest seemed to shift and change while small memories entered my head.
A woman holding a boy from his hand….
A young man holding a small box in his hand while sitting on his knees….
A little girl who was looking at the little candy that other children had….
An old woman who was watching her grandchildren run around….
Some memories were happy, while others were sad and disturbing.
'DON'T COME CLOSER!'
From the eyes of a woman, a man was approaching her in the darkness, disgusting saliva leaking from his mouth…..
'JUST WHY DID YOU DO IT?'
From the eyes of a man at the entrance of the room, two people in the same bed, one his wife.…
'Come here little boy….'
From the eyes of a little kid, a woman holding a rolling pin in her hands…..
Countless different memories came into my head, and every time one came, the feelings and emotions also came.
Fear, hatred, anger, sadness, betrayal, pain….
Happiness, joy, exhilaration, nostalgia, excitement…..
The contrast of the two types made it even more distinct to feel all those grueling feelings.
CRACK! CAW!
In the midst of those memories, the trees twisted and contorted, their branches reaching out like skeletal claws. The moonlight cast its own light and elongated shadows that danced menacingly around me.
The crows remained perched on the branches, their eyes unblinking and fixed on me. It was as if they were guardians of this dark realm, observing a trespasser in their domain.
I could feel all those little feelings of people, but then again, in this world, no one would be happy all the time.
Whenever there are people living in luxury, there will always be people living in slums.
This is by the nature of humans and this world.
Just like not everyone is born with the same talent at mana; they also aren't born in the same environment.
This is an undeniable fact, and this is what makes this world how it is. Whenever there is a light, there will always be darkness.
Without the darkness, we can't say something about the dark at all.
'I see...'
At that exact moment, I heard the voice of something.
A voice filled with malice.
FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP!
Countless crows burst from the branches, encircling me in a whirlwind of feathers and darkness.
CAW! CAW! CAW!
They cawed in unison, creating a chaotic symphony that drowned out the whispers of the memories.
The forest floor seemed to tremble, and then it began. Blood seeped from the ground, swirling and coalescing, forming a grotesque silhouette of a thing.
It was a formless, shifting mass, a conglomeration of nightmares.
'Understanding the world, are you?' the abomination hissed, its voice a cacophony of tortured souls.
I could barely make out its shape amidst the flurry of crows and the swirling blood, but its presence was suffocating.
The malice and hatred filled the atmosphere, and a feeling of nausea came from the deepest parts of my stomach.
"I don't understand anything." I replied to the thing.'
The abomination chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "We shall see, little mortal. Let us test the strength of your mind."
In a whirl of movement, the creature began to morph and change, showing me gruesome images in rapid succession. Scenes of death, betrayal, agony, and despair flickered before my eyes.
A woman, her eyes wide with horror as she fell from a great height.
A soldier, his face twisted in pain as a blade pierced his chest.
A child, crying in the darkness, lost and alone.
'Can you endure the suffering of this world?' the abomination taunted.
"Do I need to?" I replied.
"….A good answer that you gave." The creature chuckled once again. "But, you, who can't even endure his own suffering and escape from his past, shouldn't answer like that."
As the creature spoke those words, suddenly, the scenery changed.
There stood a little girl purely made from blood and a claw piercing her chest. Her eyes didn't contain her usual light inside, but rather they were empty.
Filled with pitch black.
No words were spoken.
She, with eyes filled with just black, stared at me.
It was as if she was saying why did you leave me alone.
Why didn't you help me?
TAP!
A small tear made from blood poured from those black eyes, tapping the ground.
'You were able to come here because of your talent. But, when your talent is not enough, will you be able to move forward?'
The grotesque figure spoke with its voice taking the form of malice once again. It was as if he was mocking me for coming here.
'A mortal who tries to forget his past has no right to come into my presence.'
"What did you say?" I replied. I knew this bastard would speak like this, but it was still getting on my nerves.
All those deaths and those gruesome scenes can be accepted, but saying I was trying to forget?
"I will never forget," I declared. "And I never forgive."
With those words, I finally let out one of the feelings I had been suppressing for a while. The things I imagined in my head, the countless scenarios where I killed that demon, I ripped him into pieces, I pushed a bullet into its throat.
Countless scenarios I was able to save her at that time also lingered in those imaginations, but I knew they were all pointless.
'Ho….You are interesting….'
Finally, the figure spoke, its gruesome hands slowly approaching me.
'You have an aura befitting of coming here.'
In eerie silence, the doppelgänger stepped closer, and I could feel its cold, bony fingers on my forehead. It was a touch that sent a chill down my spine, a touch that seemed to probe my very soul.
Even though I had already prepared myself before coming here, the malice contained in that touch was enough to almost destroy my soul.
'You do deserve to take what I shall offer.'
With that declaration, the figure withdrew its hand, and as it did, a small raven materialized on my shoulder. Its eyes were a deep purple, mirroring mine.
'Then, take your companion,' the figure spoke as its form started disappearing. And following that, I felt something sucking me in….
Chapter 113 - Dungeon of Eldertine Spires (4)
THUD
As I fell to the ground after the encounter with the thing, I stood there for a second to calm myself down.
The illuminating light around the tree had long lost its energy, and now it was no longer different from any other tree around me.
'I really want to throw up.'
The feeling of nausea and the gastric acid from my stomach continuously came to my throat, but I swallowed the feeling.
Even for me, who witnessed a massacre before my eyes, it was still mentally taxing to see all those memories of people.
Though I didn't have any lingering attachment to them, I was still a human at the end.
"Huuuuuuuu..."
Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down.
And as I calmed myself, I felt the presence of something inside me. Not physically, but like something that was bound to me.
'It should be there.'
------------------------------------------
▶Name: Astron Natusalune
▶Occupation: Weapon Master (level 1)
▶Talent Limit: 6
▶Passives:
- Vengeful Bane
▶Attributes:
Variable Attributes:
- Strength: 2.36
- Dexterity: 2.85
- Agility: 2.89
- Constitution: 2.12
- Intuition: 2.93
- Magical Power: 3.04
- Mana Capacity: 2.5
▶Traits:
- Perceptive Insight (Unique)(Unchanging)
- Lunar Enigma (????) (Growth Type) (Stage 0)
- Shadowborne (Legendary) (Growth Type)(Stage 1)
▶Arts:
- Lethal Arsenal Ascendancy (????)(%13)
▶Skills:
- Dash
- Eyes of Hourglass
▶Body Imprints:
▶Bonds:
- Aurora Raven (Rare)(Growth Type)
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Looking at the status window before me, I could now see a different section here. All of the parameters had grown a little, probably because of the trial I had just gone through.
'Bond section also appeared.'
As the word easily suggests, Bond meant beings that were connected to your very being. Basically, you are their master.
This was how it was described in the game, and that was also why I came to this dungeon in the first place.
Clicking on the Aurora Raven, I started reading what was written there.
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Bond: Aurora Raven
Rarity: Rare (Growth-Type)
Description: Aurora Raven, initially a rare-grade bond bestowed by ?????.
It takes on the unique characteristic of a growth-type familiar. It materializes a mystical raven creature crafted entirely from mana, as the user wished to call the bonded familiar.
As the user channels more mana and deepens their bond, the Aurora Raven's potential expands, evolving in both form and abilities.
The user can command the bonded familiar according to their wishes.
Vision Share: Host can now share their own vision with their bond, seeing the world from its eyes.
Output: Evolves in form and abilities based on the bond strength and mana infusion.
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'This is good.'
Looking at the panel before me, I thought.
Thanks to the bond now, I could easily fulfill my lack of scouting, and that was something I had been keeping in my mind for a while.
Aurora Raven
As I called the name in my head, I used my mana instinctively, and a raven materialized before me.
It had the complete color of black, devoid of anything, and purple eyes resembling mine. Just like the panel explained, the raven didn't have a physical body but rather made from pure mana itself.
FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP!
As I wished the raven to move, it started moving with its wings flapping just like any other bird. If one thing was different, then that would be the fact that my mana was slowly getting sucked with each movement it was making.
However, the consumption wasn't that high, probably because of my magic power stat being high.
In the game, the more magic power you had, the more output you would exert with the same amount of mana used. That also meant products or bonds like this raven would also be affected by it.
'Though, still, I won't be able to use it for long.'
I thought as I felt the connection between me and the raven slowly getting weaker as the distance increased.
'The more distance we have, the more mana it consumes.'
Of course, that made sense since, on the way, mana would lose its normal energy, and this would make the signal getting weak. Even though mana was an ethereal form, it was still an energy, and there was friction in this world.
'Let's test the vision share.'
As I thought about that, suddenly, I felt like the world around me was changing. The scenery changed from the trunks of the trees to their peaks.
'It is very good.'
Seeing things from a bird's-eye view was quite an experience. It was a little weird since the eye lenses were probably different.
Since it was a raven, the eyesight was good. I didn't know how it would compare to an eagle's, but it was pretty enough to see everything in detail.
'The Perceptive Insight is also working.'
And when I saw my characteristic information coming from my trait, I understood that I could use my skills even when I was sharing my vision with the bird.
That was a pretty good detail since ravens' eyesight is not that strong at dark, but with my own traits, I can easily see.
'This should be enough.'
Even though I wanted to explore more, I was quite tired mentally from all that constant walking.
Now, some of you may be wondering what was that dungeon and who that thing was.
And to be frank, even I don't know the name of that being.
In the game, the dungeon of Eldertine Spires was different from other types of dungeons. This one is actually not a dungeon but is more like a fragmented legacy.
Fragmented Legacies are a type of sub-spaces created by very strong and high-ranking beings who wanted to leave their mark on the world. Or they were created by beings that were hunted and hated.
Both were cases where the dungeons were more like a live test rather than a linear dungeon experience. Things wouldn't be determined from the start as the space would actually be changed constantly by the being conducting the test, though the starting parts would be the same mostly.
In the game, this dungeon was the first accessible Fragmented Legacy.
The moment the player steps in, the first type of enemies will be ghouls, and that won't change.
That was the reason why I already prepared a Holy Water before coming here.
However, the hard part of the test wasn't how good you were at dealing with the monsters. It was the test of your vitality, endurance, and [willpower] stat.
Since willpower stat was a hidden stat and was hard to improve in the game, most players wouldn't prefer clearing this dungeon. After all, to improve willpower, you need to train your character.
And training meant doing the same thing over and over again, even while controlling the character, and as a player, that was something boring for others.
Of course, not everyone was lazy like that.
In any case, if the first part would test the [willpower], the second part would test the [focus].
That was not a named stat, but it was a test where, while listening to those countless creepy voices, the player would need to walk forward.
Though no monster would appear there.
The last stage would be where countless different scenes would be presented to players, and they would be asked a question.
"Why do we need to suffer?"
It was a simple question, and depending on the answer you gave, the test would result in different outcomes.
But, just as I expected, the reality was different from the game. The answer I gave wasn't one of the ones in the game. At that time, I just said what I wanted to, and I got what I wanted.
Bonded Familiar.
Even though I didn't gain anything that would make money, the fact that I got something that could improve my prowess was enough to show that my efforts paid off and that was enough.
With that thought, I stood up and started walking back all the way.
'I guess it is still too early for me to look for runes.'
This mountain range contained quite a lot of runes, but the part was every one of them was actually already consumed by a monster, and the only way to take them off by simply killing it.
'Which is impossible for me.'
The lowest ranked of them would be on the border of rank-6 to rank-7. Right now, even just to reach them, the amount of distance I need to cover and the monsters I would encounter on the way would be enough to kill me.
In the end, the only thing I could do was to return to the academy…..
*******
As Astron stumbled out of the cave, leaving behind the nightmarish visions and the grotesque abomination, the figure made of darkness chuckled to itself.
"Hahahaa…..It really has been a while…."
The eerie laugh echoed within the confines of the cave, a symphony of malevolent amusement.
'An intriguing soul, indeed,' it mused, its voice a chilling whisper that reverberated in the air.
The shadowy presence shifted and swirled within the depths of the cave, its form amorphous and enigmatic.
It seemed to be both a part of the cave and separate from it, a manifestation of darkness and torment.
Following that, the cave slowly started crumbling.
'I guess this is the end of mine.'
Looking at its own form of crumbling, the figure mumbled.
'I really would like to watch what kind of things he would bring in the future, but I guess I will leave for my other selves.'
In the end, it was nothing but a fragment that was left by its real body before leaving this world.
'Though he was one of those guys, huh? Considering those heretics revering the sun, I guess their counterparts also came to this world.'
The figure felt a pang of regret. It had followed a being, a supposed ally in the realm of light.
The being was once formidable, but it had discarded the figure, leaving it to wither and fragment.
'To think I followed that bastard only to be cast aside like that,' the figure mumbled to itself, bitterness coloring its tone. 'Once a being of immense power, they cast me aside like a useless relic.'
In its last moments, the figure contorted and shifted, taking the form of a three-legged crow.